Functional neuroanatomy of the human eye movement network: a review and atlas.

The human eye movement network is a complex system that requires the integration of sensory, motor, attentional, and executive processes. Here, we review the neuroanatomy of the eye movement network with an emphasis on functional neuroimaging applications. We consolidate the literature into a concise resource designed to be immediately accessible and applicable to diverse research interests, and present the novel Functional Oculomotor System (FOcuS) Atlas-a tool in stereotaxic space that will simplify and standardize the inclusion of the eye movement network in future functional neuroimaging studies. We anticipate this review and the FOcuS Atlas will facilitate increased examination of the eye movement network across disciplines leading to a thorough understanding of how eye movement network function contributes to higher-order cognition and how it is integrated with other brain networks. Furthermore, functional examination of the eye movement network in patient populations offers the potential for deeper insight into the role of eye movement circuitry in functional network activity, diagnostic assessments, and the indications for augmentative communication systems that rely on eye movement control.

Language universals engage Broca's area.

It is well known that natural languages share certain aspects of their design. For example, across languages, syllables like blif are preferred to lbif. But whether language universals are myths or mentally active constraints-linguistic or otherwise-remains controversial. To address this question, we used fMRI to investigate brain response to four syllable types, arrayed on their linguistic well-formedness (e.g., blif≻bnif≻bdif≻lbif, where ≻ indicates preference). Results showed that syllable structure monotonically modulated hemodynamic response in Broca's area, and its pattern mirrored participants' behavioral preferences. In contrast, ill-formed syllables did not systematically tax sensorimotor regions-while such syllables engaged primary auditory cortex, they tended to deactivate (rather than engage) articulatory motor regions. The convergence between the cross-linguistic preferences and English participants' hemodynamic and behavioral responses is remarkable given that most of these syllables are unattested in their language. We conclude that human brains encode broad restrictions on syllable structure.